Serena Williams Reveals Inspiration Behind New Jewelry Line

We all know Serena Williams can dominate on the court. But the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has certainly proven she’s a powerhouse in the business world, too. She has investments in 66 startups through Serena Ventures, has a first-look TV deal with Amazon Studios, and launched direct-to-consumer clothing line S by Serena. Now the tennis star, entrepreneur and mother to 4-year-old Olympia is entering into a partnership with Zales, which will exclusively sell her Serena Williams Jewelry line. Williams, a three-time SI Swimsuit veteran, chatted about her new collection.

SI Swimsuit: Where did you draw inspiration from for the collection?

Serena Williams: I love creating pieces that radiate self-confidence and beauty. That’s the spirit of the collection: celebrating ourselves with bold and uplifting jewelry that makes you feel as beautiful as you are. I’ve always been a huge believer in women celebrating themselves, and I think everybody deserves to feel beautiful in their own skin.

SI: How has your sense of style evolved over the years?

SW: I’ve always felt connected to fashion and design. It’s a source of self-expression and inspiration for me, and jewelry has always played a big role in my style. I love how jewelry can express how I am feeling that day or help me feel close to a memory when I need a little bit of encouragement. Designing this collection has been really fun for me, and I am excited you can now see it all at Zales.

SI: How do you want women to feel when they wear your pieces?

SW: The collection was designed based on three pillars: strength, self-love and passion. We made every piece with that in mind and hope the pieces can bring that out in whoever wears them.

SI: What’s the most challenging part of being an entrepreneur?

SW: It’s definitely hard balancing it all and finding the time to shut off for some self-care. I try to make downtime a priority and schedule in time for myself, but there are days when that’s just not possible.

SI: What’s the best part?

SW: I get to wear so many hats as an entrepreneur. As most people know, I love fashion, so being able to expand the success of Serena Williams Jewelry in collaboration with Zales is really exciting. I’ve had a long relationship with Zales as a customer and have always admired their style and appreciated their reputation for quality and customer service.

SI: How do you balance motherhood with personal passions?

SW: There is no trick to balancing your time, and I definitely don’t do it perfectly. I try to plan out my schedule as far in advance as I can so I can really build my time around Olympia’s schedule, but you can’t always plan for everything, which is O.K. I think women need to give themselves more grace and credit for everything we do.

Serena Williams Jewelry includes more than 60 pieces, from rings and necklaces to earrings and bracelets, with prices ranging between $129 and $9,999.